This invention relates to apparatus for simulating the playing of a game of golf.
Numerous arrangements have been proposed for providing indoor facilities by which the playing of an outdoor game of golf can be simulated. Such arrangements are considered desirable for a variety of reasons including alleviating the overcrowding of existing outdoor golf facilities, and enabling year-round play in climates where year-round play at outdoor facilities is not possible. Moreover, the use of indoor facilities would typically be less strenuous and less expensive than would the use of outdoor facilities, and would enhance golf instruction and teaching capabilities. The prior art arrangements thus far proposed are discussed generally in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825, which patent, in its entirety, is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. The invention disclosed in that patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,8250 was conceived by one of the joint inventors of the improvements disclosed in this application.
In the above referenced patent, a golf game simulating apparatus is disclosed that generally projects a picture onto a screen some 20 feet in front of a player depicting the view the player would have if he or she were actually present on a specified golf course. With the view displayed on the screen as his or her guide, and having some prior information as to the distances and general shape of the particular hole of the specified golf course on which the golfer is playing in simulated fashion, the player selects an appropriate club and drives his golf ball towards the fairway). The ball only travels a short distance (approximately 20 feet) before striking the screen or the surrounding walls and ceiling. These walls, ceiling, or screen are designed to be flexible so as to absorb the impact of the ball striking them and to allow the ball to safely fall to the floor. However, as the ball is in flight, it passes through three defined planes that are constantly being scanned by an infrared detector array. The ball is also appropriately illuminated from an infrared light source as it travels so that it can be detected as it passes through each plane. By combining all the information obtained from all three planar sensors, the exact trajectory of the golf ball can be calculated by computing apparatus. A microprocessor is used for this computing function. Knowing the exact trajectory, the microprocessor is able to compute the exact location where the ball would have gone on the fairway (or around the fairway) of the particular hole where the simulated game is being played. Prior information as to the layout (including distances, rough, bunkers, trees, etc.) is preprogrammed into the microprocessor, thereby enabling it to compute the exact point, within a few feet, where the ball would have landed had it continued in free flight.
Knowing the point where the ball would have landed, the microprocessor controls a filmstrip projector that advances to a new frame of film so as to display to the player a new picture or view as would be seen from the location where the ball "lies" within the simulated fairway. The player then hits the ball again from this new location. The microprocessor computes the trajectory of the ball as before and then advances the filmstrip projector to a new frame depicting the view from the location of the newly computed "lie" of the ball. In this fashion, the player works his way down the simulated fairway, just as in the actual game of golf, until he arrives at the green. When he arrives at the green, the microprocessor lights up a simulated green whereon the player may putt out. The player then advances to the next hole of the simulated golf course.
The simulated golf game apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825 is advantageously adapted for allowing single players, two-somes, three-somes, or four-somes to play the simulated game. Before beginning a play on a simulated hole, a diagram of the hole typically appears projected on the screen for the players to study. This diagram gives them an idea as to the distances and general shape of the hole, thereby allowing them to properly choose a club. The players may also select whether to tee off from the ladies', mens' or pros' tees. This information is fed into the microprocessor which directs the projector to advance to the picture or scene corresponding to the appropriate tee. That is, a full color picture of the view that would be seen from the tee is projected on the screen. The distance to the "flag" or hole is also shown on a display panel along with the player's name. This player then begins to drive his ball down the simulated fairway as above described.
Using regulation balls and clubs, the player drives, with all the force of his or her natural swing, into the high impact, heat-sealed screen. The distance the ball was hit, the yards it was hit to the right or left, and the amount of hook or slice is immediately shown on the display panel. Should the ball be lost, go out of bounds, or in the water, it will be reported as such.
After each player has played from the tee, the microprocessor determines which player's ball is "away". The projector is then advanced to the appropriate full-color view of the hole and the player is informed, by name, of both the distance remaining in the flat stick as well as the type of area in which his or her ball lies (i.e., fairway, rough, sand, water, lost, out of bounds, etc.). Should the ball land in the sand, the player would play out of the simulated sand trap. If the ball should go into an unplayable area (water, lost, out of bounds, etc.) the rules of golf will apply, and the display panel will inform the player of the lie, the appropriate picture will be projected on the screen, and the microprocessor will add the correct number of strokes. In this fashion, the microprocessor is able to tally the player's score as the game is played and periodically display these scores to the players.
When the players have reached the green, the microprocessor turns off the projector and in sequence turns on the lights that illuminate a putting green positioned in front of the screen. This putting green may typically be contoured like an outdoor green and putts may be made from as far as 20 feet away. After the player has putted out, the display panel will ask for the "number of putts". The player will then enter the number of putts he or she has taken and his or her score will be displayed on the panel. The display panel then instructs the next player to putt out until all the players have finished playing the appropriate hole. The play then advances to the next hole of the simulated game.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825, there are some limitations associated with the simulating process that detract from the realism of the simulated game. First, there is no simple way for resynchronizing the projector with the microprocessor should some sort of miscount (or other failure) occur as the film strip is advancing to a desired picture or film frame that is to be projected on the screen. That is, in the above referenced patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825), a spot is placed on the film strip corresponding to each frame or picture located thereon. These spots are counted by a spot detector so that the microprocessor will know the number of frames the film has been advanced. The microprocessor has programmed thereinto, of course, which particular frame of the film strip corresponds to a particular count. Thus, when the microprocessor determines that a particular frame is to be displayed, it merely looks up in its memory the frame count for that desired frame and signals the projector to advance that number of frames. However, should the actual count of the frames as projected by the film strip somehow become unsynchronized with the count as sensed by the microprocessor, then an incorrect picture will be displayed. While means are provided in the referenced patent for manually advancing the filmstrip (either by turning a manual advance knob, or by pressing a forward button or a backward button), there really is no method disclosed for efficiently resynchronizing the microprocessor with the frame count.
Another problem associated with the apparatus and circuitry disclosed in the above referenced patent is the manner of driving or advancing the filmstrip to the proper frame. A dc motor is disclosed in the referenced patent that may be either moved in a forward or backward direction. However, the speed with which the motor advances is relatively constant (there being no method disclosed for increasing the motor drive current (or motor voltage). Also, there is no method disclosed for zeroing in on the proper frame so that the picture that is ultimately displayed will be properly framed on the screen.
Other problems or shortcomings of the golf game simulating apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825 are the lack of provisions for a "holed out" condition. That is, as sometimes occurs in the real game of golf, as a person approaches the green, his ball may strike the green and roll into the cup, thereby eliminating the need to putt-out on that particular green.
Still another limitation associated with the golf game simulating apparatus previously disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,825 is the manner of entering date into the microprocessor. In that patent, several manual switches are disclosed for informing the microprocessor of the desired tee (mens', ladies', or pros'), whether the front or back nine holes are desired to be played, whether eighteen holes are desired to be played, or whether a driving range is desired. In order to make the game more realistic, it would be desirable to allow more and varied information to be entered into the microprocessor. Such information would ideally be entered into the microprocessor through a medium that is compatible with an indoor recreational environment. That is, it should not be easily damaged by having liquids fall thereupon (as when a player might spill a drink), and it should be relatively shock resistant (should a player accidentally bump it with his golf club or kick it in a show of anger).